A number of units of the Medical Center of the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) have joined together under the direction of the Director of the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, to respond to the announced intent of the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism and Digestive Diseases to establish a number of Multi-Purpose Arthritis Centers. The objectives of the UAB Center are: to coordinate and integrate ongoing arthritis programs, both community and institutional; to provide a nucleus of experts to assist in planning of new programs and services; to promote and foster increase in arthritis content in ongoing teaching activities and to take the lead in planning and initiating needed programs for training professionals in the arthritis disciplines; to promote and provide public education in the areas of arthritis and related musculoskeletal diseases; to foster interdisciplinary research; to begin to gather an information bank for use by local trainees, scholars, and professionals; to structure appropriate baseline information gathering and organizing so as to allow realistic evaluation as the Center activities progress; to provide an administrative core and a consultant advisory group to which all involved in arthritis activities can turn for assistance and/or advice, and which would, in turn, take the initiative in proposing new or expanded activities to the participating faculty.